Timer controlled alarm system

ABSTRACT

An alarm system for detecting and recording the time of arrival home of a young person who has a definite curfew for his or her return. The system allows the parents of the young person to reture for the evening with the assurance that they will be awakened if their son or daughter does not return on time, but will not be disturbed if he or she arrives home on or before the appointed time.

United States Patent Hawes Dec. 11, 1973 [54] TIMER CONTROLLED ALARMSYSTEM 2,643,168 6/1953 Louthan 340 311 x 2,689,340 9 1954 5 ra ue340/3095 [76] hwenm Haw, 2,942,249 6/1960 P51111 340/312 Cedar RaPldS,lOWa 52402 3,430,224 2/1969 Krantz 340/311 x 3,599,200 8/1971 Bunting...340/311 x [22] 1971 3,530,432 9/1970 Pope 340/3091 x 21 Appl. No.:131,175

Primary Examiner-Harold l. Pitts [52] US. Cl. 340/3095 R, 340/3091 RAttorney-Haven Simmons and James Nemmers [51] Int. Cl. G08b 29/00 [58]Field of Search 340/3091, 309.4,

340/3095, 311 [57] ABSTRACT An alarm system for detecting and ecordingthe time [56] References Cited of arrival home of a young person who hasa definite UNITED STATES PATENTS curfew for his or her return. Thesystem allows the 2 183 548 12 1939 Crisp 340 3091 x Parents the Youngthe evening 3:104:386 9 1963 1416mm .1. 340 3091 R with the assurancethat y will be awakened if their 3,270,493 9/1966 Wallace 340/3091 x sonor daughter does not return on time, but will not 3,275,987 9/1966 Mann340/3091 X be disturbed if he or she arrives home on or before the3,348,008 10 1967 Miller 340 3091 appointed time. 3,430,222 2/1969Gratix..... 340/3091 x 3,631,453 12/1971 Stalp 340/323 R 3 Claims, 1Drawing Figure PMENIEHUEE 11 ms INVENTOR.

JOHN W. HAWES BY ATTORNEY TIMER CONTROLLED ALARM SYSTEM BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION When a teenage son or daughter goes out for an evening, itis normal for concerned parents to worry until he or she has returnedhome safely. Most parents will, therefore, wait until their son ordaughter has returned home before retiring. If the arrival time is late,the parents may lose several hours of sleep. Moreover, most parents wantto know whether or not their son or daughter has complied with thecurfew which they set for that particular evening. Although some parentshave their child wake them when the child returns home, many parents areunable to sleep until they know that the curfew time has arrived andtheir child is home safely. The idea of merely setting an alarm clock sothat it will awaken the parents at the time set for the curfew willdisturb the parents in the event that the child does come home on time.Most parents who have gone through the teenage stage will, therefore,agree that there is a need for a method or system for minimizing theworry, concern and inconvenience during this stage. The prior art doesnot disclose any method or system which will allow the parents to obtainsome rest while assuring that they will be awakened in the event thattheir child does not arrive on or before the curfew time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a system and methodwhich allows the parents of a teenage child to retire at their usualtime with the assurance that they will be awakened if their child doesnot arrive home at the appointed time but which will allow the parentssleep to continue if the child does arrive home on time. The inventionconsists of an alarm clock and indicator light forming the alarm stationwhich is located in the parents bedroom and which is connected to aremote control station located in a convenient place, near the entrywayfor example. The alarm station is connected to control station so thatif the alarm is set for the curfew time, the alarm will go off unless itis deactivated by the child at the control station. Operation of aswitch at the control station will turn off the indicator light andalarm and will also stop the clock thus recording the time the teenagerarrived home. If the switch at the control station is not operated priorto the curfew time, the alarm will go off and, of course, awaken theparents.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The drawing is a schematic wiringdiagram illustrating the principles of my invention as applied to amultiple unit system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawing there is shown aschematic wiring diagram for a multiple unit system which is capable ofbeing used for four children, all of whom are out for the same eveningand all of whom have different curfew times. It will be understood,however, that the principles of the invention can be applied to a singlestation unit as well as to a system of any number of units.

The system is supplied with electric power from a source which willnormally be the standard line voltage of 110 volts A.C. power. Sincesome components of the system are best adapted for operation at a lowervoltage and for safety reasons, I prefer to provide a transformer 12 toreduce the voltage. Also, although it is not necessary to operate somecomponents of the system on DC, I find it preferable to do so, and,therefore, provide an AC to DC rectifier circuit 14.

Connected to the voltage source 10 on the primary side of transformer 12is a standard alarm clock 16 of any suitable type, there being one suchalarm clock 16 for each separate unit of the system. Connected betweenthe alarm clock 16 and the source 10 is a relay 18 which is normallyopen. The operation of the relay 18 is controlled by the low voltage DCpower from rectifier circuit 14 through a manually operated switch 20 ofany suitable type such as a double pole single throw switch. Thus, therelay 18 will be energized to close the circuit to alarm clock 16 onlyif the switch 20 is closed.

Preferably, there is also provided a first indicator light 22 and asecond indicator light 24 for each unit. The indicator lights 22 and 24will be lit only if the switch 20 is closed.

So that the system will perform its purpose, the clock 16, indicatorlight 22, and relay 18 are combined together at the alarm station andare located remotely from the control station which consists of theswitch 20 and the other indicator light 24. The alarm station should belocated in a suitable convenient location such as the parents bedroom.The remote control station should be located also at a convenient placesuch as a hallway or entryway. To place the system in operation, theswitch 20 at the remote control station is closed and the clock 16 isset for the actual time. Also, the alarm on clock 16 is set for thecurfew time or a few minutes later if there is to be a grace period.When switch 20 is closed, both indicator light 24 and indicator light 22will be lit and the clock 16 will start operating to show the actualtime. The parts can then retire if they wish. If the child has notarrived home at the time set on alarm clock 16, the alarm will go offawakening the parents. However, if the child arrives home prior to thecurfew time, he merely opens the switch 20 which will turn off indicatorlights 22 and 24 and will also shut off the power to the alarm clock 16thus deactivating it. The alarm of clock 16 will,.therefore, not go offat the set time and the parents sleep will be uninterrupted. Also, theclock 16 will stop at the exact time of the childs arrival thusrecording his arrival time. If a parent should awaken in the middle ofthe night, he can tell at a glance that the indicator light 22 is outand, therefore, know his child is home and can see the exact time thathe arrived home. If a parent should awaken prior to the curfew time, he,of course, will be able to tell whether or not the child is home byglancing at indicator light 22 which will still be on if the child isnot yet home. Very often, the knowledge that if he does not arrive homeon time the alarm clock 16 will awaken his parents will have a definintepsychological effect on the child and gives him sufficient incentive tomeet the curfew. Also, this may help to create a certain amount ofresponsibility for the child to be home on time.

Obviously, if the parents have more than one child, two or more separateunits can be wired as shown in the drawing with multiple alarm clocks 16located at the alarm station and multiple switches 20 at the controlstation. Different colored indicator lights 24 can be used or-the nameof each child can be placed below his switch 20 and indicator light 24so that as each comes home the proper indication will be given.Correspondingly colored indicator lights 22 can also be used so that theparents can quickly identify who is and who is not home by glancing atthe alarm station.

It will be further obvious to those skilled in the art that variousother revisions and modifications can be made in the system utilizingthe principles of the inven' tion and without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention. It is my intention, however, that all suchrevisions and modifications as are obvious to those skilled in the artwill be included within the scope of the following claims:

I claim:

1. An alarm system comprising an alarm station, an indicator light atsaid station, an electrically operated alarm at said station responsiveto a timed signal for producing an audible alarm at said station, anelectrically powered clock located at said alarm station for providingsaid timed signal to said alarm in response to the lapse of apredetermined amount of time, an electrical power supply circuit forsaid clock, alarm and indicator light, first control means including anormally open relay in said circuit with said clock, alarm and indicatorlight, said relay controlling the power supply to said clock, alarm andindicator, second control means including a manually operable switchlocated at a station remote from said alarm station, an indicator lightat said remote station in circuit with said switch, said switch beingoperatively connected to said relay to close said relay when said switchis closed and thereby complete the power supply circuit to said clock,alarm and indicator light at said alarm station and to open said relaywhen said switch is opened to thereby break the circuit between thepower supply, clock, alarm and indicator light at said alarm station,said switch controlling the power supply to said indicator light at saidremote station so that when said switch is closed power will be suppliedto said light and when said switch is opened no power will be suppliedto said light.

2. The alarm system of claim 1 in which said electrical supply circuitincludes an AC power source, and said system includes an AC to DCrectifier, said switch, relay and indicator lights being supplied by DCpower and said alarm and clock being supplied directly from said ACsource.

3. The alarm system of claim 2 in which there is provided a low voltagetransformer between said AC source and said DC rectifier.

1. An alarm system comprising an alarm station, an indicator light atsaid station, an electrically operated alarm at said station responsiveto a timed signal for producing an audible alarm at said station, anelectrically powered clock located at said alarm station for providingsaid timed signal to said alarm in response to the lapse of apredetermined amount of time, an electrical power supply circuit forsaid clock, alarm and indicator light, first control means including anormally open relay in said circuit with said clock, alarm and indicatorlight, said relay controlling the power supply to said clock, alarm andindicator, second control means including a manually operable switchlocated at a station remote from said alarm station, an indicator lightat said remote station in circuit with said switch, said switch beingoperatively connected to said relay to close said relay when said switchis closed and thereby complete the power supply circuit to said clock,alarm and indicator light at said alarm station and to open said relaywhen said switch is opened to thereby break the circuit between thepower supply, clock, alarm and indicator light at said alarm station,said switch controlling the power supply to said indicator light at saidremote station so that when said switch is closed power will be suppliedto said light and when said switch is opened no power will be suppliedto said light.
 2. The alarm system of claim 1 in which said electricalsupply circuit includes an AC power source, and said system includes anAC to DC rectifier, said switch, relay and indicator lights beingsupplied by DC power and said alarm and clock being supplied directlyfrom said AC source.
 3. The alarm system of claim 2 in which there isprovided a low voltage transformer between said AC source and said DCrectifier.